In the data capture field, there are many applications where hand-held data terminals should be of rugged construction so as to survive rough handling. Many operators are not inclined toward painstaking or precise manipulations. An example is in the use of RF data capture terminals on forklift trucks in factories and warehouses where items to be transported are identified by bar codes. Other examples are found in the field of route delivery and direct store delivery where many items are handled and the terminal means automates the accounting function. Even in applications where bar code data is transmitted on-line to a central station, it may be desirable for hand-held terminals to be inserted into docking apparatus for the interchange of data signals e.g. the loading of scheduling information or the like into the terminal at the beginning of a working shift. Further where terminal means has memory capacity for accumulating data during a delivery operation or the like, it may be desirable for such data to be transferred to a printer so that a hard copy may be produced. In cases where rechargeable batteries are used, the docking apparatus may provide for the recharging of such batteries at the same time as data communication is taking place.
It is conceived that it would be highly advantageous to provide a data capture system with docking apparatus adaptable to a wide range of terminal means, and which furthermore could be quickly and simply loaded in a relatively foolproof manner, and without requiring attention and care from operators engaged in physically demanding and arduous work routines. A docking apparatus would be desirable that completely avoids the use of mating pin and socket type electrical connections, and that does not rely on a specialized configuration of the terminal, e.g. the provision of an optical scanner tip which may be used for data communication.
The present invention relates particularly to data capture systems utilizing portable data terminal means which are to be held in one hand during data capture operation; however the invention is also applicable to portable data terminal means which may be mounted e.g. on a belt or e.g. on a vehicle during data capture operation. The data terminal means preferably will be of size and weight to be held in one hand, even though not so held during data capture operation. Also the data terminal means may be provided with batteries so as to be capable of portable operation, and such batteries may be rechargeable.
In a typical case, the portable data terminal means will have user interface means such as a manually operated data input (e.g. a keyboard) and/or a data output (e.g. a liquid crystal display), and will contain data storage means for the storage of programming instructions and/or program data, and/or for the storage of data capture information.
In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, a docking apparatus removably receives portable data terminal means for purposes of data communication e.g. with a host computer and/or for the recharging of rechargeable batteries, and is so configured that the terminal means may have electrical contact pad means generally flush with the exterior of the terminal means. Preferably an abutting type engagement between the terminal contact pad means and cooperating electrical contact means of the docking apparatus is used for each electrical connection which is required at the docking apparatus, and the typical pin and socket type docking connections are entirely avoided.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention the same basic docking structure may be provided with greater or lesser numbers of contact positions. For example, one type of hand-held terminal intended for on-line RF communication with a host computer may have six contact pads for coupling with a local area network, and may have a nine position electrical connector for compatibility with an earlier type of interface system requiring interfitting of pin and socket connectors; another type of hand-held terminal designed for route accounting applications may have e.g. twelve external contact pads and be intended for interfacing only with systems having provision for open abutment type interconnection.
In an early embodiment as well as in a variety of later embodiments, the terminal receptacle means has been arranged so that with the terminal secured therein, the or each line of the terminal display remains visually observable in a convenient orientation relative to a driver of a vehicle for example. Also all of the key positions of the terminal keyboard are manually accessible, the legends on the keyboard having an orientation so as to be conveniently readable, e.g. by the driver of the vehicle. In particular the axis of each line of the display and of each row of key positions should be generally horizontal (rather than vertical) and the alphanumeric characters of the terminal display and keyboard legends should be upright (rather than inverted) as viewed by the operator.
Also in the early embodiment the terminal could be inserted into the receptacle with one hand against the action of a resilient bias stronger than the bias on the receptacle mating contacts. The same resilient bias allowing one handed loading, then served to firmly position the terminal for steady reliable electrical contact at each abutting type contact position in spite of vehicle jarring and vibration or the like.
The receptacle in the early embodiment was provided with a pair of standard nine pin D-sub connectors with threaded fastening of mating pin connectors, and with a power connector, so that a terminal while inserted into the receptacle could receive data from vehicle sensors via one nine pin connector, transmit commands via the other nine pin connector, and receive operating and/or charging power from the vehicle electric power system via the power connector.
The early embodiment and also the presently preferred embodiment of the invention are provided with integrated electrostatic discharge protection associated with the incoming signal paths of the device. Because of this novel advance, the housing of the data entry terminal may be constructed of lighter materials and molded from polymeric materials into an aesthetically pleasing and comfortably held form. The expensive application of metallic sheathing is avoided while isolation of sensitive circuit components from electrostatic discharge transients is achieved.
Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and from the individual features and relationships of the respective appended claims.